Healing Tears
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Severus is there to help Harry when he loses Remus. Will Harry be able to grieve? Established Harry/Severus relationship.


**I own nothing you recognise.**

**Written for **

**Disney Character Competition - Lilo **

**Animal Competition - Horse**

**Spell/Charm/Curse Competition - Expelliarmus**

**Divergent Competition - Dauntless Quote 2 - Why do people want to pretend that death is sleep? It's not.**

**Word Count without A/N - 857 **

**Healing Tears **

Harry could feel the irritation building inside him, looking for an escape, threatening to explode from his chest as each second ticked away. People milled around the room chatting amongst themselves, picking at the buffet the house elves had slaved over, looking around the house with undisguised curiosity.

After all, a look around the house of the Man Who Won was a treat for even the most dignified of Ministry Officials.

Why hadn't Harry hired a room in a hotel, or a pub, or just forgone the whole experience he didn't know. It would have been easier than having to deal with... this.

Yet another person came over to shake his hand, to offer their condolences for his loss, to take the compulsory look over the open casket. A sad shake of their head, a sigh, as though they had known the dead man personally.

"He looks as though he could be sleeping," the woman said, in what she obviously thought was a comforting tone.

Harry felt his shields break, felt himself warming up quickly, and as an arm slid around his shoulders to pull him from the room, he was sliding his wand from its holster to his hand, ready to curse the idiotic woman into oblivion.

The arm around his shoulders pulled him firmly, but gently into the kitchen, pushing him into a chair.

"Hold it together, Harry."

"Why? Why do people want to pretend that death is sleep? It's not. It's death," Harry raged, trying to rein his temper in.

"I know. I'm not sure what you expected from people of such... caliber," Severus replied, placing a glass of whiskey in front of Harry, who downed it in one, wincing at the taste as it hit his throat.

"I... I don't know what I expected. I just... I can't deal with these people anymore, Severus, I want them out. Now."

"There is half an hour or so left, before people will leave for the ceremony. I know you don't want to, but I know you have the strength to last that long."

"Your faith in me is astounding, Severus. Remind me again what I would do without you?" Harry said, managing a small smile for his husband.

"I don't know about you, but that woman in there would more than likely be a pile of dust right now. These people just don't appreciate me for the hero I am," Severus replied dramatically, drawing a chuckle from Harry.

"You're right, they don't."

"Come on, Harry. Let's get this over with, so you can grieve in peace."

With a nod and a sigh, Harry let Severus pull him up from the chair, and with a deep, calming breath, he once more entered the parlour where the closest man to a father he had ever known lay in a casket, unknowing of the pain Harry was feeling.

xxxx

_Remus Lupin, one of the defenders of Hogwarts, Best selling Author, Order Of Merlin Second Class recipient and Surrogate Father to Harry James Potter-Snape will be sorely missed. He died, peacefully and comfortably at his home, at the age of seventy nine... _

"I can't read this crap," Harry said, crumpling up the service note and throwing it in the bin. He was cleaning frantically, Severus watching from the armchair, a worried look on his face as he absently twirled his drink.

"Harry, Kreacher will do the cleaning. You need to relax," He replied in a soothing tone, one not often heard from his mouth.

"I can't. I need, I need to keep busy. I need to do - I need to clean. Look at this place, Severus, it's a mess. What if someone comes to visit? We can't let people see such an untidy house!"

Severus stood from his seat, taking Harry's hands in his own, holding them still.

"Severus, I can't..."

"Harry. You need to process this. If you don't, you'll never be able to heal."

"I can't."

"Harry."

"I have processed it, Severus. Remus is dead. See. I'm not in denial. I know he's dead. I'm fine."

"If I have ever seen you less fine, I can't remember it."

"Severus! I am perfectly fine," Harry said, trying to pull his hands away. Severus held tight, pulling Harry to the sofa.

"Don't."

"Why not. I want to cuddle with my husband. Am I not allowed?"

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Dammit, Severus, You know why!"

"Tell me anyway," Severus replied patiently.

"Because... Because if you hug me, I'll cry, and if I cry, I have to deal with the pain, and I don't know if I can."

As Severus pulled Harry into his arms, the first tears of many fell from the startling green eyes, as Harry slumped against his husband. Severus sighed in relief as Harry finally gave into the grief he had been trying to push away, and he rocked the younger man slightly. Now that the first healing tears had fallen, Severus knew Harry would be alright.


End file.
